Tipperary Racing Scene

Cloughjordan trainer Denis Hogan enjoyed a haul of four winners over the holiday period.

The first arrived at Limerick on St Stephen’s Day when Cousin Kate proved over four lengths too strong in the mares’ handicap hurdle over 2m4f with Wexford-born rider Sean Flanagan doing the steering.

Hogan enjoyed a notable thrill when he rode his own runner Frankie John in a maiden hurdle on the final day of the Leopardstown festival. The winner is owned by the trainer’s parents and friend John Mahon.

It was Denis’s first win in the saddle since the 2022/23 although he has had very few rides in the interim, preferring to focus solely on the training side.

Two more winners arrived for Hogan at Cork on January 3rd courtesy of Tatateo by three-parts of a length in a novice hurdle at 11-4 for young rider Michael Kenneally who similarly enjoyed a productive holiday spell with three winners.

Hogan’s Cousin Kate backed up to win another mares’ handicap hurdle, this time by an even bigger margin, six lengths too strong at 11-10 under prolific young conditional, Eoin Staples.

Harry Kelly, training near Fethard, dispatched just five horses to the races between Christmas and New Year and two of them won while another finished runner-up.

The first of those winners, Linden Arden, came at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve at a price of 14-1. This son of the great mare Solerina, racing in the famous Bowe family colours, was scoring for the second time this season for Rosscarbery jockey Brian Hayes.

Kelly added the other success when Roccabaker picked up a handicap hurdle at Tramore on New Years Day in good style by five lengths, supplying a third win of the period for Thurles jockey Cian Quirke.

The mares’ bumper at Cork went to Burnchurch trainer Martin Hassett’s Moonverrin with jockey Pa King from Glenbane in the saddle, atoning for a near-miss on her debut when beaten just a length at Fairyhouse at odds of 40-1. The five-year-old was much better fancied on this occasion, winning at 5-2 and she appears to have a bright future.

Another winner for Glenbane arrived when Changeyourstars provided a handy winner to the James King yard in the mares’ maiden hurdle, the opener of the second day of Limerick’s festival.

A strong ride from Tralee rider Philip Enright meant the 10-1 chance had half a length to spare at the line from Galileo Dame, the 6-4 favourite from the Joseph O’Brien stable.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Clonmel - Thursday January 8 (first race 12.20pm)

Naas - Friday January 9 (first race 12.45pm)

Dundalk - Friday January 9 (first race 4.30pm)

Fairyhouse - Saturday January 10 (first race 12.00pm)

Punchestown - Sunday January 11 (first race 12.20pm)